‘There are no plans to make any letters this time’ – Ellis Genge ahead of All Blacks

Saturday afternoon will be the first time that Ellis Genge will have played the All Blacks.

When England beat New Zealand in 2019 in the Rugby World Cup semi-final, the loosehead prop was sat in the stands and his only experience of facing the Haka to date was in the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championship Final in Italy.

England would lose that day in June, the Baby Blacks finishing on the better side of the 21-16 scoreline. There aren’t too many returning faces from that game this weekend, Genge joined by none of his age grade teammates and the soul survivor of that New Zealand team is Anton Leinert-Brown who starts from the bench.

On Thursday afternoon Genge sits in Pennyhill Park having just been announced as England’s starting loosehead prop for the visit of Ian Foster’s All Blacks. Glimmers of the fabled black jersey have been hard to come by in the past decade too, adding to the spectacle that many are expecting to see.

The past eight encounters between the two teams are bookended by England wins, the last time that the two played in New Zealand coming in 2014 and the last time England ended as victors in England was in 2012.

At the time in 2012, Genge was just 17 and on holiday with his family in Torquay at a caravan site, the budding professional rugby player downed by a tooth infection and consigned to watching the game with his father.

Did the 38-21 win ease any of the pain?

“No,” Genge said. “Not really. Tooth infections are vile, aren’t they? I suffer with that sort of stuff, I get infections orally. It’s quite bad, so I was in a foul mood. It was good to watch.

“I do remember the game quite clearly, Manu [Tuilagi] ran amok, didn’t he? I remember it, but it didn’t put me in a better mood.”

Tuilagi is one of just three surviving players from that game, Farrell and Mako Vunipola the other two, England very much writing a new story this time around. The challenge will be a different one to, with just the three players remaining in the All Blacks squad that played in the same fixture a decade ago and in a very different stage of their development ahead of a Rugby World Cup.

Back then, it wasn’t hard to look for the stars under Steve Hansen. Dan Carter, Richie McCaw and Ma’a Nonu were the dangerous men, while now you have to squint a bit more. Capable of beating teams through moving the ball, it is that memory of mesmeric backs play that stands longest in mind, making you almost forget about the physical challenge they posed.

“In 2015 they were probably the best team in the world at moving the ball and obviously rugby changes, not it is a bit more of a pressure cycle where you have to kick a bit more and your set-piece has to be rock solid,” Genge said.

“You have seen that in 2019 with South Africa, I wouldn’t ever say they’re a bad set-piece side. They have always been brilliant in the lineout and their scrum is hard again now. 

“I have spoken to some of the boys and that is what they have said, that is what shocks you, although you know they have this silky skillset and some of the best ball handlers in the world, actually they can whack as well. I’m looking forward to it.”

Ahead of the semi-final in 2019, England showed their intention by approaching the Haka in a V formation. It is an act made infamous by Eddie Jones’ team eventually getting fined £2000 for encroaching within 10m of the designated All Blacks area. Even in the Rugby World Cup Final at the weekend, the Red Roses spread across the length of the field as the Black Ferns lay down their challenge.

Naturally, you are left wondering what England have planned for this weekend. Not much apparently.

“We haven’t spoken about anything like that,” Genge said. “It would be a bit ‘they have been there and done it’ if we did the V again. There are no plans to make any letters this time.”

It all adds up to being the game circled in the calendar for the longest time. A classic purely by happenstance and although the All Blacks are less fancied than in years gone by, there is no sense that this weekend is being seen than anything other than the biggest Test. 

“We’re not naïve,” Genge said. “We know that they’re definitely human. Prior to 2016, they absolutely smoked everyone and had a win-rate of 92 per cent. I’m not sure any sports team will ever do that again.

“Seeing Argentina beat them and one or two others, you can look at it one of two ways; that is either going to make them better, or you smell blood and go for it. 

“I don’t think anyone is going into this thinking we are going to lose. We definitely don’t think that, but we know we’re going to be on our mettle, otherwise you’ve seen what they do to teams. 

“They absolutely spank them – they lost to Argentina one week and then put 50-odd points on them the next. That’s just the way they play.”

England starting XV: Freddie Steward; Jack Nowell, Manu Tuilagi, Owen Farrell (C), Jonny May; Marcus Smith, Jack van Poortvliet; Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Kyle Sinckler, Maro Itoje, Jonny Hill, Sam Simmonds, Tom Curry, Billy Vunipola

Replacements: Jamie George, Mako Vunipola, Will Stuart, David Ribbans, Jack Willis, Ben Youngs, Guy Porter, Henry Slade